Page 5 of Savage Beauty

I pour another measure and down it. As the alcohol begins to take effect, blurring the edges of my worries, a daring voice inside me speaks up.

Why not spend a night on the town with a dangerously charming bratva man? What’s the worst that could happen?

“Anyway,” Sasha says, grabbing the menu, “all this serendipity is making me hungry.”

Our server approaches eagerly, ready to take our orders, and Sasha addresses him with a charming smile. “I’ll have the T-bone steak, rare, with garlic butter,” he says. He winks at me. “And my beautiful companion will have a big-ass dish of gnocchi.”

4

Josie

Iwake up in the extravagant suite Marc and I had booked at the Venetian, the remnants of last night’s escapades playing havoc with my head. My temples throb painfully as I attempt to sit up, only to be met with a surge of nausea that sends me sinking back into the plush pillows. I hear the shower running in the bathroom, indicating that Marc is already up and about.

What a wild dream.I strain to recall the details, but they slip through my mind like water through my fingers. All I can remember is Sasha suddenly appearing out of nowhere, followed by a whirlwind of drinking and something about taking a dip in a fountain. And then, there was that limousine ride? Dreams have a way of vanishing into thin air as soon as you wake up, but one thing is crystal clear—I was definitely having a blast.

The bathroom door opens, and I close my eyes. The last thing I want is an argument or Marc’s gross demands for sex.

To my surprise, I hear nothing, so I open one eye. Sasha stands before me, in the flesh, a towel wrapped around his waist.

Holy fuck.

Lust supersedes my initial shock.Tattoos literally everywhere but his face. His body is even sexier than I thought, and God knows I’ve imagined him naked more than a few times. Broad shoulders and a solid chest, his rippled abdomen below. I find myself hoping his towel will slip.

“Good morning,” Sasha says, squeezing his hair with a second towel. “You have wonderful shampoo and conditioner,zolotse. And that shower gel smells fantastic, too—it’s almond and honey or some shit like that? I usually use some designer manly stuff, but I never knew what I was missing. I feel like a whole new woman.”

I sit up again, rubbing my eyes. “Ifeel like hell. I can’t remember a thing, Sasha. What happened? Where is Marc?”

Sasha opens the closet and frowns. “None of this shit will fit me. That fiancé of yours was a real skinny fucker.”

Did he saywas?

“Sasha—”

“Let’s get the important stuff out of the way.” He turns to face me, counting his points on his fingers as he speaks. “You wanted to ice skate, and I said no because we’d probably both die trying. We lost seven million dollars on roulette but won nine. And you told a cop to suck your dick, which was fucking hilarious but cost me ten grand.” He runs his hand through his damp hair. “Oh yeah. And your abusive bastard of a fiancé is dead.”

I fight back the urge to throw up.He’s lying.How could he say something like that so casually?

“Tell me this is one of your unfunny jokes.”

Sasha shakes his head, and I drop my face into my hands.

The arrogant fucking prick. He waltzed into my life, treated it like his own personal playground, and forwhat?

“You asshole!” I cry. “What makes you think I want you to—”

“I don’t give a fuckwhatyou think,” Sasha snaps. “If he were making you happy,zolotse, I’d have said hello and moved on. But the second he grabbed your wrist, he was dead.”

The venom in his voice surprises me. Marc thought he was a badass, but Sasha is on a whole other level, and despite myself, I can’t help but feel a surge of savage satisfaction at his words. He might be shallow in many ways, but no one has ever defended me like this in my entire life. I’m sure he was keen on killing Marc anyway, but still, it feels pretty good.

“I was doing okay here,” I say. “Marc wasn’t a great guy, but marrying him guaranteed me a life away from…you know.” I look away. “I don’t wanna go back tothat.”

“Why not get a job?” Sasha asks.

“It’s not that simple,” I snap. “I lack work experience and references, and people always figure me out. Predators come out of the woodwork. The only real job I had was—”

“At Kislev Enterprises,” Sasha finishes. “So what’s stopping you from returning to work for me?”

“I aspire to better than being a glorified secretary for your family’s shady business,” I sigh, sinking back onto the pillows. “Sasha, you’re insane. Marc may have been a bastard, but people will notice he’s gone. He’s not some criminal lowlife!”

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